ScreenCrave.com » Danny McBride

Kenny Powers is Back for Season 3 of Eastbound and Down

Damon Houx — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:01:48 +0000

Kenny Powers – the irascible fictional pitcher from Eastbound and Down - has already become an icon, and a favorite in the sports community. Which is funny because creators Jody Hill and Danny McBride never really knew much about the sport before they made the show. and they still don’t know much about it. But after two seasons showing Powers hit rock bottom, he’s now back in America, and ready for the minors. Here’s a teaser for the third season…

This doesn’t say much of anything except announcing that Powers will return in January. The show has finished shooting – at least according to costar Jason Sudekis - so they’re in post now. Not too much has leaked about it otherwise, though we know that Ike Barinholtz will be playing Kenny’s rival.

Both Jody Hill and Danny McBride have tried to find a cinematic audience, but either together (The Foot Fist Way) or separate (McBride in Your Highness, Hill with Observe and Report) they haven’t succeeded – McBride’s most successful film work comes when he’s part of an ensemble. Which makes the success of Eastbound and Down all the sweeter and kind of surprising. When doing press for Seasons one and two, everyone has said that they want to keep the series tight (which has been reflected in the show’s short seasons), and that season three will likely be the last. Powers will likely go out with force when the show possibly concludes February or March of 2012. Then again, you never know.

What’s your favorite Kenny Powers quote?

30 Minutes or Less: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:00:19 +0000

This week in theaters, actor Jesse Eisenberg reunites with Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer in one of the most easy-to-watch, entertaining comedies of the summer, 30 Minutes or Less. From its stellar comedic cast to it’s fast-paced storyline that never leaves you hanging, I found this to be one of the most straight-forward movies that delivers what we all want when we go to see a comedy, lots of laughs in 83 minutes, no more no less…

The Players:

Directed by: Ruben Fleischer (1-1 Interview | On Set Interview)
Screenplay: Michael Diliberti
Story By: Michael Diliberti & Matthew Sullivan
Actors: Jesse Eisenberg (1-1 Interview | On Set Interview), Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, Nick Swardson, Dilshad Vadsaria, Michael Peña

The Plot:

Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest, and inform him that he has mere hours to rob a bank or else…

The Good:

Run Time: I for one am sick and tired of sitting in a cinema being bored while filmmakers think that longer run-times give the audience a better experience. They don’t! Especially not in a comedy. In a comedy audiences want to get in, laugh, eat popcorn, be distracted from all the horrible shit in life and then go home with a grin on their face and that’s exactly what this film does. The plot itself gives the film a sense of urgency and the film follows suit. This is definitely not a film you’ll be noticing your ass going numb in.
Jesse: He’s firmly established himself as one of the best, straight-faced comedians currently working. His performance is as quick-witted as the film is fast-paced and his serious nature helps add to the severity of the situation making it all the more intense and hysterical.
The Comedic Team: Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, Aziz Ansari and the unexpected Michael Peña all provided a much need comedy backing of all different kinds for the film. All four actors brought their own style to the table and had their own moments to shine. Michael Peña had a smaller role, but one that was absolutely hysterical and was the one person who really stood out of the pack.
Embracing its “R”: This is an “R” rated film and there’s really no questioning it. They embraced their “R” rating and really had fun with it. It’s nice to see a comedy so obviously directed at adult audiences and not be filled with “poo” jokes.

The So-So:

Depth: The film did not have a lot of depth to it. Maybe because of it’s pacing, nothing ever got to deep nor never felt too important. I for one enjoyed the simplicity of the film and saw the movie for what it was, but I don’t know if this will be a film that people will remember a decade from now.

Overall:

This is not a film that breaks any new grounds, but it does its job very well and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of fun, escapism.

Rating: 7.8/10

30 Minutes or Less in theaters August 12th.

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

New DVD Releases: Paul, Your Highness, Jumping the Broom

Andrew Payne — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:25:59 +0000

It’s a bit of a nerd Nirvana on DVD this week as three different sci-fi/fantasy/comic book parodies all arrive at once with the releases of Paul, Your Highness, and Super. So get your condescending laughs ready.

For those not looking for the geek-parody genre in order to fulfill their home entertainment desire, there are even more feature films hitting shelves this week, plus another that suffered the sad fate of having its premiere in stores.

Check it all out below…

Feature Films

Paul

What do you do when your favorites misstep?

If you’re like me, you love you some Nick Frost and Simon Pegg comedies.

Also, if you’re like me, Paul was kind of a chore to sit through. Uneven, too long, and tried to do too many things at once.

So what do you do? Do you completely lose faith? Does the duo’s next film no long hold for you the same appeal it once did? In other words, have we just suffered an Intolerable Cruelty/The Ladykillers-like reaction to these other two cinematic brothers?

It’s troubling, because once you lock into a reliable film constant you begin to plan your movie year around it. Circling your calendar and suffering through horrible runs of Source Codes and Adjustment Bureaus more readily knowing that something that has to be good is coming right up.

But then, it doesn’t, and you’re left betrayed and unable to ever fully trust again. What is a fan to do?

I know! You blame the fact that Edgar Wright didn’t direct this one and you move on. Hope you chaps will reunite soon!

But if you need something to tide you over, you can buy Paul on DVD.

Your Highness

It seemed that a lot of the animus toward this movie was chiefly directed at two of its three stars.

James Franco: Crappy Oscar host, does too much, overexposed.

Natalie Portman: Too many movies, No Strings Attached – really?, I like Mila Kunis better.

Yes, this film was sort of a catalyst for sealed anger to explode on these two actors, but one got by unscathed – Danny McBride.

And I’m fascinated by that. Can Danny McBride do know wrong? Does having about three moves as an actor (which he does transcendently well, mind you) right all wrongs. Does it make becoming a K-Swiss spokesman and the co-star of Land of the Lost not even matter?

I’m totally confused. I need help:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

If you answered “yes”, you’ll want to buy Your Highness on DVD.

Also:

Jumping the Broom – Buy Now
Mars Needs Moms – Buy Now
Super – Buy Now

And Just So You Know, This DVD Exists…

30 Minutes or Less Red Band Trailer is a Winner

Damon Houx — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 01:27:45 +0000

If you’re going to end on a high, it’s good to have one as good as the punchline to “you just brought a gun to a bomb show.” The latest trailer for 30 Minutes or Less - which stars Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride and Nick Swarsdon – is red banded, so the jokes are filthier and also hilarious. The film opens August 12, and the new trailer is their best ad yet. Check it out…

Comedy is a tricky beast, and it’s exciting to see what director Ruben Fleischer has in store. He’s got a confident touch behind the camera, so it’s going to have the slick polish that is often lacking in modern comedy. There’s also a strong plot, with an obvious deadline involved, so the film – if it works – should move.

We did a set visit where we talked to the director and stars Dilshad Vadsaria and Ansari, Eisenberg, and McBride and Swarsdon if you’re curious for more. With this and a number of the more recent August trailers, it’s looking like this could be a very strong end for summer movies. That is, if these films deliver. And after the start of this summer, it’d be nice to see some films that are original, or at least deliver on the promise of the material.

Does this give away too much?

30 Minutes or Less Set Visit: Danny McBride and Nick Swardson

Mali Elfman — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:05:41 +0000

Since we just posted Jessie Eisenberg‘s serious, detailed interpretation of what it was like being on set and shooting Ruben Fleischer’s upcoming comedy 30 Minutes or Less, we thought it would be nice to balance it out with an equally light-hearted and humorous interview with the power comedy duo Danny McBride and Nick Swardson. Though these boys are working hard, there’s not much stopping them for also having fun. And one thing’s for sure, nothing about film-making is too precious, there’s always a reason to crack a joke to not make a joke about, especially when press is about…

I was just going to ask, how do you keep your energy going all day with doing that same scene again, and it’s like a five-page scene.

Danny McBride: It’s a lot of words.

And then I noticed the Red Bull.

Danny: Yeah, but we’re digging deep, right?

That and meth?

Danny: Mhmm. You gotta be sure with meth though, right? You can come down hard on meth, right? It’s hard to keep up…

Nick Swardson: Yeah yeah yeah. These aren’t even real eyes. These are crystal meth balls, painted where my pupils are. [laughter]

While on set it’s obvious that though Nick and Danny like to play, it’s also quite obvious how professional they are about it. Multiple takes of comedy, while out in the sun, working 12 hour days is not easy. They both managed to use whatever tools (and of course a sprinkle of meth) to keep things rolling. They’re obviously cast because they can be trusted to deliver original performances take after take. On set, they’re not only there to play, but they’re encouraged to do so by their director. Almost every take, though they hit their marks and said their lines had some slightly different ideas or movements added by the duo that kept the scenes fresh and the talent and crew chuckling…

You’re obviously being encouraged to take risks and move away from the script as written, how do you know when you’ve gone too far?

Danny: That’s kind of what Ruben’s job is, is just to kind of keep you on point. I think when you’re improv-ing, you should never go into it trying to put restraints on what you should do or what you shouldn’t. I think you just keep pushing it, and then when it goes too far you just have someone like Ruben to say, “Hey, that’s out of the realm.” I think it’s just about trying to improv, keeping the character in mind. That usually will keep things in track. And not just try to do standup or something, but just try to riff on stuff that you’re supposed to be talking about in the scene anyway, and just see if there’s a way to make it come out more naturally.

Nick: Yeah, the key is really making sure that you maintain the character in the improv, do you know what I mean? Because with a lot of comics and stuff you see, they’ll just start riffing and get jokey. But then all of a sudden you’re like, “It doesn’t really make any sense to the character of the scene.” So the key is really just keeping in character. But Danny and I could go for a long time. So that’s why Ruben’s almost like the referee in that kind of fight where you’re just like, “OK, OK, OK. The round’s fucking over. OK, we got it. We got it. We got it.”

Though they’re not necessarily “method” actors, and a good thing to considering the characters that they play in this film, they do make physical strides to become more like their characters…

Do you guys do any kind of consistent preparation from one role to the next to get ready for it? Or is it pretty much all in the script and you just sort of build it as you’re shooting it?

Danny: You took years of training, right? With monks?

Nick: I lived with fucking Vietnam monks. [laughter]

Danny: A little bit like Brando.

Nick: Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t do anything too crazy. The thing about comedy is you don’t really have to… I’ve never done anything in my career that was just, “Holy fuck. I’ve got to dive in hard core.” There’s no Bill the Butcher moment, where it’s just like, “Alright, Swardson. Let’s go!” “Reno 911” is probably the closest I’ve ever come to really getting out there, and that’s just an extension of myself basically.

How much of your characterization is accomplished by your facial hair?

Nick: Thank you, because that was getting dark. So I thank you for making it a lighter tone.

Danny: [laughter]

Nick: I mean, Danny always is fucking used to it. I’m not used to it. This is awful. For me I fucking hate it. I hate having a mustache, but it taught me a lot. I don’t know.

Danny: Yeah, nothing. I just feel this is just how I look now, so it’s just roll with it.

Yeah, heavy. These guys are serious, especially when it comes to getting a chance to blow shit up! While they were doing the scene before a teddy-bear gets blown up in which the actors had to pretend like it was happening, but don’t worry, they’re going to get a chance to really blow it up, and when they do, both actors will be there for the important stuff…

Besides ripping duct take off Jesse’s face and shooting a gun, do you guys get to actually mess anything up in this movie, cause some major destruction? And do you have fun doing that, if so?

Nick: Yeah, we haven’t done it yet, though.

Danny: Yeah, all the destruction is next week, yeah. You guys missed out, yeah.

Nick: The next two weeks.

Q: You guys excited?

Nick: Yeah.

Danny: It’s always fun to do that kind of stuff. That’s the stuff always whenever I’m in a film and there’s something crazy, like shit’s blowing up or there are cars speeding by, you never get tired of that stuff, I don’t think. I’m always just amazed and wide-eyed that I’m involved in such situations. That stuff’s definitely more fun than doing a five-page scene over and over and over.

Nick: Are you going to make sure you’re there when the blow up the bear?

Danny: Yeah, yeah, we’ll be there.

When you guys came to the project, did the script change at all when you got involved? Because someone was saying earlier that when they were reading it, they could imagine you as the character. Basically how much changed when you guys got involved, or did it not at all?

Danny: The character of Dwayne was pretty much what it is now. When I read it, it seemed like something I dug and was funny. The character didn’t really change so much for Dwayne. I mean, I think they’ve had the regular rewrites that happen when they’re developing something.

Nick: Mine was a little less. I think they did some stuff to mine. But I think it was basically pretty much the same. They told us a lot that the reason they cast me and Danny was that we could bring another level to it in terms of improvising and just bringing out more and more lines and popping it out a little bit more. So they’ve really been malleable with the dialogue and being able to bring a little bit more out of it that wasn’t on the page.

Danny, we heard through the grapevine that Ruben was a really big fan of yours while making Zombieland. Did you know that? Maybe that’s why he came to you so early in the process.

Danny: I didn’t get a chance to meet Ruben until, my gosh, I guess it wasn’t until after Zombieland. But he was a nice guy when I met him, and I loved Zombieland. I thought it was great. So I was stoked about the idea of being involved in something he was going to do next. But I didn’t know how far back the love affair had gone or if it was mutual at that time.

Nick: It was a very strong love affair.

[laughter]

And Nick, when did you come on board in terms of casting?

Nick: I think Danny and Aziz were attached before I went on. Then they were saying that Jesse was going to be in it. I don’t know if he was locked in yet. But I think all the elements were in place. I think me and Michael Pena signed on at the same time.

We actually don’t know too much about who Michael plays in the film. Does he have scenes with you?

Nick: Yeah. Wait, no.

Danny: Does he or does he not? I can’t remember.

[laughter]

Nick: Michael plays…

Danny: He plays a hit man in the film.

Nick: With HIV.

Danny: With HIV, yeah.

[laughter]

Nick: I was really hoping that was kind of part of it.

Danny: That would be so intense.

Did you get to pick your Metallica shirt?

Danny: Yeah, I picked this. Do you like it?

I like it very much.

Danny: It’s pretty cool, huh?

Nick: That shirt is…that’s one of their best albums too, I would have to say.

Obviously, these are not their only roles…

Danny, you’re getting a lot of attention with Kenny Powers now. People are really going crazy with that character. Do you feel like you have a responsibility, I guess, to create more of a definition between Kenny Powers and your characters on film or in any other things you do?

Danny: Yeah, a comedian has their voice and the things that make them laugh. So there’s always the danger of just relying on those things too much or whatever. With Kenny Powers it’s different because when you do a character in a film, you do it and it’s done. But with a TV show, it goes on and on. So you’re doing the same material over a long period of time. So, yeah, I think it’s important to toss it up. The film that I finished last year, Your Highness, which we just picture locked last week on. That’s a different role for me. I’m a pansy little British prince in it. So that will be a little different. But, yeah, I think anybody who’s acting, you’ve got to try to change things up every now and then and make sure you don’t get stuck in a rut.

How about you, Nick? Is it the same thing with you with “Reno 911”?

Nick: Yeah, this was definitely a break for me from doing a lot of the crazier characters. A lot of the stuff I do is always a crazy kind of character. I’ve known Ruben for a long time, so when he brought the role up to me, he was just like, “I’m psyched for you to just have something a little bit more grounded and not as wacky and crazy.” So yeah, I was really, really psyched to do it.

30 Minutes or Less hits theaters late this summer, August 12th! Check out Nick and Danny in what looked like from our few hours on set to be a hilarious performance!

Your Highness: Movie Review

Damon Houx — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 01:30:29 +0000

Though the title suggests a stoner comedy along the lines of The Pineapple Express, Your Highness is more of a goof on the fantasy and Sword and Sorcery movies that took over cinema in the early 1980′s, films that ranged from the studio financed Conan the Barbarian and Clash of the Titans, to the Italian and American rip-offs like Yor, the Hunter from the Future and Barbarian Queen. If you’ve got a soft spot for The Beastmaster, but also recognie that it’s kinda goofy, this movie is for you. Otherwise…

The Players

Directed by: David Gordon Green
Writers: Danny McBride Ben Best
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux

The Story

Thadeous (McBride) is the second son of King Tallious (Charles Dance) and therefore second in line to Fabious (James Franco) who is always successful on his magical journeys. Recently he’s rescued Belladonna (Deschanel) from capitivity, and plans to marry her. Then the evil Wizard Leezar shows up and steals her for “The Fuckening” where he will impregnate her with a dragon. Thadeous and Fabious are forced team up to find her, and eventually get the help of Isabel (Portman), who has a quest of her own.

The Good

Comedy from Unexpected Performers: Sure Danny McBride is going to be funny, but performers like Damien Lewis and Toby Jones are commited to the material, and it pays off in jokes and directions unexpected that kill. Oscar-winner Natalie Portman plays it straight, but then when she has to deliver filthy dialog she does it without a wink and it kills.
Justin Theroux: Playing the villain, his hamstrung plot for “The Fuckening” falls apart the further it goes along because of his incompetence.
All Out: Some of the jokes, and settings are just plain out there. From a fortune telling mythical creatures who’s also a pedophile, to a randy Minotaur, the film goes to some pretty strange places for laughs, but that it’s doing so in this setting
Brotherly Love: McBride and Franco don’t look like each other, but their relationship is very real, and that’s helped by Franco’s commitment to character. The film works because it never descends into parody (the closest it comes is a very direct mockery of Clash of the Titans Bubo) and the two play off each other well.
Cadence: Comedy works when it hits you with a surprise, and with David Gordon Green’s comedies, sometimes those surprises come from weirdly chosen inflections of a line, or weird digressions. Though McBride’s comic cadence is well defined – and he does it well here – Green constantly finds notes to hit that come out of nowhere.

The Bad

The Prologue: McBride’s character gets in trouble with midgets. Comedies that use midgets for punchlines are often bad, and though there’s one good joke in the mix, it starts the film off on the wrong foot, which is made worse by…

The Opening Credits: The pot angle of this film was a mislead, and the opening credits (which are vandalized while they play) sets this up to be more along the lines of a spoof movie. If the movie itself never tips its hand, the credits do, and so you’re left with the first couple minutes of the film kinda sucking.

The Specificity: Having grown up watching pretty much all of the films this film is riffing on, I get it, and I laughed hardily. For many who have context of a film like Krull or Excalibur, the genre being toyed with isn’t really so familiar as to play as well with people who don’t know it.

Overall

This is the sort of film that usually creates a binary response. If you like McBride’s comic stylings, and appreciate the references, then you’ll probably have fun with it. But those who aren’t McBride fans, or didn’t play a little Dungeons and Dragons, and never saw the fun of Krull are probably going to be left at a loss. Ultimately, the film is a goof, and perhaps part of what makes it appealing or unappealing is that they actually made it.

Rating: 7.5/10

Your Highness hits theaters April 8.

Beastie Boys Fight For Your Right – Revisited Trailer Brings Out the A-Listers

Damon Houx — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:13:16 +0000

There’s something to be said that only the Beastie Boys could bring out Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Elijah Wood, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Ted Danson, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon and many more famous people for what appears to be a very funny goof on the history of the Band. McBride, Wood and Rogen play younger versions of the band, with Reilly, Ferrell and Black the older iterations. How this all works out is unknown, but the trailer is here for Fight For Your Right – Revisited, and it is great. Check it out…

This is a short film written and directed by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. It will come with their latest album Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, which hits stores and iTunes on 5/3. The premise is that it’s a sequel (as has been reported) to the Beastie Boys breakout video “Fight For Your Right to Party.”

With all the celebrities and cameos this could descend into navel-gazing nonsense if it goes too long or attempts too much, but with the sheer comedic talent involved, the likelihood of that is smaller than average.This trailer has everything, including Ferrell hitting a cowbell. It looks like inspired lunacy. Even if the B-Boys are middle-aged rappers in a genre of music that has yet to see many elder statesmen, the album should be worth getting for this.

Because you can’t, you won’t and you don’t stop, do you think The Beastie Boys came with the sure shot?

Interview: Danny McBride and James Franco on Brotherhood in Your Highness

Damon Houx — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:00:34 +0000

James Franco and Danny McBride play unlikely brothers in David Gordon Green’s Your Highness -, but they play well off each other. McBride finally has a straight man, and Franco gives the character the gravitas to the film’s silliness. It’s a good working relationship– though the two worked together before in Green’s The Pineapple Express. In Your Highness they’re joined by Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel as their love interests and Justin Theroux as an evil wizard. It’s a movie that loving plays on the tropes of early eighties sword and sorcery movies, which McBride co-wrote. The two also made for a fun interview. Check it out.

On Getting the Picture Made

How challenging was it to pitch this script?

Danny McBride: The first day we pitched this script, we came in and said “it’s Krull meets Barry Lyndon” and the executives were like “never pitch this movie like that ever again.” To us that is what it was, we wanted to approach it as a serious drama but have that fun that we had with a movie like Krull. That was the concept, and what was interesting about taking on this project was “can you make a legitimate fantasy adventure movie like this and still find a way to find comedy in it without making it a spoof?”

Can you talk about some of the movies you’ve watched for research?

DM: David Green and I went to film school together. I was a freshmen and he was in his second year and we both lived in the same dorm. I met him the first week I was going to school. When you go to film school, you’ve got all these guys who are trying to show everyone how smart they are. When they talk about movies it’s all of these pretentious arthouse films because they think those are the kinds of movies you have to like if you’re going to film school. One of the things that David and I instantly clicked on was that we appreciated those films but at the same time appreciated movies like Beastmaster, Krull and Dragonslayer, these fun movies that capture your imagination when you’re a kid. So it was awesome to be able to actually try to make one of those movies. It gave me an excuse to my wife for why I needed to be watching Krull on repeat, because I couldn’t have gotten away with it unless I was getting paid for it. It was a selfish reason to make this film.

James Franco: The first thing I ever saw in a movie theater was The Dark Crystal and I saw that repeatedly in the theater, then The Neverending Story and the original Clash of the Titans. They’re a little hokey now, but still have a lot of charm.

Was there anything you were particularly surprised at that you got away with?

DM: The fact that we made this movie was very surprising to us. David and I were never convinced that somebody would make this crazy movie. It was an opportunity to make a film that seemed so specific to what we wanted to see. I think we have the first Minotaur erection that has ever been filmed. We’ve made cinematic history. A lot of people have tried and haven’t been able to accomplish it but we did it, we did it.

Can you talk about the comedic structure and why is it typical for this kind of comedy, what it adds to make it funny?

DM: When we were coming up with the idea we only thought the comedy would work if the movie was approached as a serious fantasy film, and that’s where we made the comedy. When it came time to cast the film, and even the craftsman that we pulled onto the film it was serious first. The guy who designed the weapons designed the weapons for Braveheart. Our production designer worked for Danny Boyle and the person who designed the armor designed the armor for Kingdom of Heaven. We approached the movie as if it were a serious epic fantasy and found the comedy in the fact the more serious we took it, the more the comedy seemed to work. So in the writing of it we thought of it as a comedy second and as an adventure movie first. Then we tried to find that humor on the set.

With your historical research did you find that the mullet was a common hairstyle in the Middle Ages?

DM: We really wanted to make this an educational film for kids that people back in the Middle Ages, when there were two moons, people look just like people do now. We were modeling that haircut off of Mel Gibson’s Lethal Weapon. That’s what we were going for with that haircut.

On Production

Was there a lot of improv going on?

DM: There was a tone. I worked with David a few times before and – even the way we worked on Pineapple or the stuff we’ve done on “Eastbound and Down” – we always do one or two takes of what’s on the page and then from there David gets in and we start pushing it. And it’s not always to find jokes, we’ll improv so that everyone in the scene is on their toes. You find that reaction that you couldn’t have gotten when the actor know exactly what’s coming next. So improv-ing is essential to what we do and there’s a ton of it in there.

JF: When you have a movie where you improvise during every scene, it’s not just about finding funny lines – like Danny is saying – it does something to the actors because you’re more aware because you don’t know what’s coming next so you don’t get lulled into a way of doing the scene the same way one time after another. You’re much more aware, and it does something to the behavior. It makes it more immediate, it makes it more alive. And David won’t have you just improvise different lines, he’ll have you say it in very weird ways like “say it like a robot” or “say it like you were taking a big dump.”

DM: That was the direction he gave to Charles Dance at one point and it was very funny to see his reaction. He was like “What did I sign up for?”

Which scene do you remember that cause you guys to break character and laugh?

DM: The scene I had with Natalie (Portman) where I have to confront her about stealing this compass. The whole time David Gordon Green directs, he’s literally right out of frame of the camera. He stands there and makes you say the most ridiculous things and you can’t really hesitate. In the scene he’s like “Call her a bully and a whore.” I started doing it without thinking, but as soon as I looked at Natalie and “whore” came out I felt horrible. I couldn’t get through it – that was the hardest.

JF: I think we had a hard time with the wise wizard too. We were acting with a puppet and I remember we were short on time that day so it was actually a problem that we couldn’t finish it.

How was it working with Natalie Portman?

DM: David had been in talks with Natalie about another project and once we started getting movement on Your Highness it looked like that’s what was going to be next. In his conversations with Natalie, she brought up this project and said she was dying to do a comedy and wanted a chance to work with us. We were thrilled by that, because having actors like James and Natalie is what separates this movie. It’s not a movie filled with your typical comedians. It’s cast with a lot of prestigious actors and that is what made it unique and fun. I was embarrassed to hand Natalie the script the first time, “should I just go through and take out all this dirty stuff?”’ And David said “no we’ve got to let her know what she’s in for.” The stuff that I thought would make her blush was what she thought was funny. On the set she never shied away, she can definitely hang with the boys. She wasn’t intimidated by any of the foul stuff going on.

JF: No she wasn’t.

How did you find the actor who plays Courtney?

DM: Courtney was played by Rasmus Hardiker and it was one of those deals with him where we had been auditioning all the guys for Courtney. As soon as we saw him, before he even came into the room, we were just — you kind of already know that this is our guy. He was sitting in the waiting room and out of all of these people we could identify that that was going to be our guy. He’s comedically brilliant, fast on his toes.

On Performance

James, how did you approach your character?

JF: I tried to play the character pretty earnestly, and because it’s a comedy we can get away with a lot of the cheesiness that maybe can hurt a film that’s completely earnest. Because we get away with it you can address some of the real feelings and real dynamics between brothers, and jealousy and feelings. That’s kind of the secret of bromances- you can talk about relationships between guys and brothers because it’s a comedy and if it wasn’t it would probably just be boring, or cheesy.

Or kinky…

JF: You could go the kinky rout and that would work too.

What kind of training did you have to do for swordplay?

JF: Well Danny was the writer so he conveniently wrote his character as someone who was very bad at using swords – he didn’t have to train at all. I trained a bit, but I had done literally nine months of training, seven days a week for Tristan and Isolde because I was a young actor that didn’t know that that was insane. I didn’t get to use much of it on that film so I got to use it on this movie.

Danny, between Fred Simmons and Kenny Powers and this character you seem to have a comic archetype in the roles that you play, how do you modulate your performance?

DM: When we did The Foot Fist Way that was an independent film, we shot it for 70 grand in like 17 days. Jody Hill and I hadn’t been writing things like that before that movie. We started figuring out that if we change who the protagonist is and get the audience to align with a character they wouldn’t normally align with, it opened up all these different comedic possibilities for the story. With Foot Fist we were just starting to scratch the surface and wanted to do more with it. That’s why we set up “Eastbound & Down” to explore that architecture. “Let’s take this almost cliched story about an underdog, but let’s put the audience with someone that they are not used to following in this kind of story.” That was the design of those things. When it came time to approach this, it was shifting the lens of who you typically follow in these films and trying to find someone that’s a little bit more unexpected. It allows you to hit some of those cliched moments with a new perspective. To us, that’s what’s comically interesting about it and what separated it from other films that are in this genre. I think it’s a fine balance, so you find those layers of how exactly are you going to get an audience to root for someone who is so morally corrupt or who makes these bad choices. For each character it’s a different thing. With Fred Simmons he’s dealing with adultery and loss and betrayal, so the question is “how do you have a guy do this but still find redemption?” “Eastbound’s” the same, you figure out what their wound is and how you can get an audience behind that wound. In this film it was based on sibling rivalry, on someone who felt he was living in the shadows. It’s just a matter of figuring out how to play around with that and how to get someone to identify with this person that normally they wouldn’t identify with.

Your Highness opens April 8. Check it out.

New Red Band Teaser for Your Highness

Damon Houx — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:12:04 +0000

As we get closer to the the April 8 release of Your Highness, we’re seeing the marketing for the film kick in to high gear (no pun intended). Recently we’ve seen new posters, a tie-in prequel comic book, and screenings and junkets start shortly for the film. And to keep interest up, Universal has released a new Red Band Trailer for the film, which stars Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel and is directed by David Gordon Green. Take a look…

This looks absolutely filthy and insane, and everything you could possibly want from a movie starring Danny McBride as a pot-smoking knight that battles magicians and minotaurs. It’s pretty amazing that the film was made and is being released at all, even moreso that it’s being released by Universal. The film will be screening shortly, though the film is under review embargo until the release date for now.

Early word was good, but with a film like this (as specific as this?) there’s always going to be audiences who don’t respond, don’t get it, or just don’t like it. But then again, if a film like this misses, it tends to really miss. The film was written by Ben Best and Danny McBride, who also wrote The Foot Fist Way and “Eastbound and Down,” so it should – hopefully – be along those lines.

How many hours of Dungeons and Dragons does it take to write a film like Your Highness?

Sample Danny McBride’s Your Highness Comic-Book Prequel

Damon Houx — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 23:44:21 +0000

Star Danny McBride has always talked about Your Highness (which opens April 8)as his version of Krull or Yor, or any of the other weird fantasy films to emerge in the early 1980′s. It should then be no surprise that he’s written a tie-in comic book that functions as a prequel, which Dark Horse Publishing has released and offers an on-line preview.

McBride co-wrote the comic with Jeff Fradley, who also worked with McBride on The Foot Fist Way. The film of Your Highness is directed by David Gordon Green, and stars McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel. Your Highness starts screening this week, which means that word is going to be out there soon, but all the early buzz has been that it’s a weird but hilarious take on the Sword-and Sorcery genre.

Universal deserves a lot of credit for taking a risk on a film like this, but McBride – through “Eastbound and Down”- and Green (who directed The Pineapple Express) have a great comic track record. The question is if audiences will be excited to see something like this. If the film delivers, the context will be meaningless, and everything so far suggests the film is funny.

(h/t to Movieline for the original link)

Have you seen Krull? (Glaive or not, it’s kind of terrible.)

Your Highness gets Three Character-Themed Posters

Damon Houx — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:31:30 +0000

Your Highness, a sword-and-sorcery pot comedy starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Academy award winner Natalie Portman, and Zooey Deschanel opens April 8, and it feels like the advertising campaign for the David Gordon Green film should start kicking in to gear here any second. Though we’ve seen a hilarious red band trailer, the film has been relatively quiet since then in its build up to its release in less than a month.Today, Cinematical, IGN, and JoBlo debuted character posters for the film. Take a look…

It seems they’re selling the comedy with both Franco and McBride, but Portman gets to play it serious here:

Portman also seems willing to sell the sex, which was apparent in the red band trailer. Universal is trying to set the tone here, which suggests it’s not exactly grounded by any history, and has a touch of Scary Movie-esque unseriousness. The film was always going to be a little weird and out there, but funny is funny, and McBride has been on fire with Eastbound and Down while Green delivered with The Pinapple Express.

Are you high on Your Highness?

New Your Highness Photo with Portman, Franco, McBride, Deschanel

Krystal Clark — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:12:28 +0000

We have a new photo from David Gordon Green’s upcoming comedy, Your Highness. It’s a period piece that somehow maintains all the gratuitous, slapstick comedy that you’d find in modern day features like Pineapple Express. Green found a way to do it and he got James Franco (who also appeared in Pineapple Express), Natalie Portman, Danny McBride, and Zooey Deschanel to be a part of it.

If all goes well, Your Highness might consist of two Oscar nominees if Portman and Franco are recognized for their roles in Black Swan and 127 Hours respectively. Who would have thunk that this movie could rake in this amount of talent?

Official Synopsis:

Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny McBride and James Franco team up for an epic comedy adventure set in a fantastical world—Your Highness. As two princes on a daring mission to save their land, they must rescue the heir apparent’s fiancée before their kingdom is destroyed.

Thadeous (McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he’s settled for a life of wizard’s weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But when Fabious’ bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux), the king gives his deadbeat son an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off.

Half-assedly embarking upon his first quest, Thadeous joins Fabious to trek across the perilous outlands and free the princess. Joined by Isabel (Natalie Portman)—an elusive warrior with a dangerous agenda of her own—the brothers must vanquish horrific creatures and traitorous knights before they can reach Belladonna. If Thadeous can find his inner hero, he can help his brother prevent the destruction of his land. Stay a slacker, and not only does he die a coward, he gets front row seats to the dawn of an all-new Dark Ages.

What do you think of the newest photo from Your Highness?

Source: USA Today

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